London 2012 Megathread [Part 1]

blueser

I think Gary might have got a bit carried away with that comment. Understandable after the day/evening Great Britain has had.

telekon

Pherekydes wrote: »

The solution to this is simple. Change the specification for the events. They did it with the Javelin in 1999, and it created a whole new list of performances. The old marks were wiped away.

Yeah, I was thinking the same. They changed the men's javelin weight after some drug fuelled German nearly threw it onto the track (think it was somewhere around 98m from memory, not wiki)

So adjust the weights of all the equipment and start afresh. Its the only way to make them more interesting for spectators again.

Nothing like a good world record.

Edit: it was 104m!! :eek:

Pherekydes

Richard Hillman wrote: »

In the opening ceremony they said NZ had the most gold Per Capita of all time

Finland are top. They have 101 golds to NZ's 39, with broadly similar populations.

Hungary and Sweden are 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

keith16

blueser wrote: »

I think Gary might have got a bit carried away with that comment. Understandable after the day/evening Great Britain has had.

Nice piece of trivia...

Which country has won the most medals, but never hosted the Olympics?

dxhound2005

Pherekydes wrote: »

The solution to this is simple. Change the specification for the events. They did it with the Javelin in 1999, and it created a whole new list of performances. The old marks were wiped away.

That won't work for the Women's 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres records, all set in the 1980's.

Pherekydes

keith16 wrote: »

Nice piece of trivia...

Which country has won the most medals, but never hosted the Olympics?

Hungary!

Guy:Incognito

Pherekydes wrote: »

namloc1980 wrote: »

So is the hammer and shot put but those records are more in proportion with the men's being much further. According to wiki the top 10 women's discus throws of all time all happened between 1984-1988 and all by eastern bloc athletes (6 East Germany, 1 Czech, 1 Romanian and 1 Bulgarian)......what a joke!!

The solution to this is simple. Change the specification for the events. They did it with the Javelin in 1999, and it created a whole new list of performances. The old marks were wiped away.

Was that not cos it looked like Jan zelezney was going to spear someone at the far end of the stadium in the crowd his t throws were getting that long?

keith16

Pherekydes wrote: »

Hungary!

Correct

WumBuster

bnt wrote: »

I haven't been keeping up with Ireland's progress ... not a single medal so far? Ouch. Pull your socks up, people!

If you just cover over the ''Great Britain and N.'' it looks pretty fantastic

Tox56

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

paulgeog wrote: »

No it's New Zealand atm. Same population as Ireland, an example we need to follow.

Yeah, we need to do what the British have done in the Cycling.

Pick a niche sport and develop 5/8 athletes of genuine class to at least give us a shot at medals (beyond boxing).

But how do you do that? You can't just 'develop' the likes of Wiggins, Cavendish and Hoy, especially in a country the size of Ireland.

Deank

telekon wrote: »

Yeah, I was thinking the same. They changed the men's javelin weight after some drug fuelled German nearly threw it onto the track (think it was somewhere around 98m from memory, not wiki)

So adjust the weights of all the equipment and start afresh. Its the only way to make them more interesting for spectators again.

Nothing like a good world record.

Edit: it was 104m!! :eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPjh_WwWas

Unreal

Pherekydes

dxhound2005 wrote: »

That won't work for the Women's 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres records, all set in the 1980's.

They should expunge Flo-Jo's 10.49. It was almost certainly wind assisted. She would still hold the record with 10.61, so it wouldn't be seen as anti-Flo-Jo, who's dead and never tested positive.

Koch admitted being doped, so that takes care of her record, but there's no political will within the IAAF to make these changes.

Guy:Incognito

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Pherekydes wrote: »

The solution to this is simple. Change the specification for the events. They did it with the Javelin in 1999, and it created a whole new list of performances. The old marks were wiped away.

That won't work for the Women's 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres records, all set in the 1980's.

Take 5 metres off the lengths but don't tell anyone :-)

My name is URL

Anyone see this yet? The ugly side of the Olympics - http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/draconian-wifi-police-stalk-olympic-games-20120803-23jdc.html

Apparently, since BT are the "official communications services provider" for the games. Only access points which they operate are allowed for the duration.

telekon

Deank wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPjh_WwWas

Unreal

Ridiculous isn't it?

Might as well give that guy the gold for drug doping while they're at it...fabulous cheating by the East Germans once again. :rolleyes:

mike65

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Was that not cos it looked like Jan zelezney was going to spear someone at the far end of the stadium in the crowd his t throws were getting that long?

The change was to stop "flat" landings, the knock on effect was to reduce distance (and I bet they were thinking about that somewhat)

Absolutely delighted for Jessica Ennis an Mo Farah, brilliant performances from both. Also the hot long jumper

Have been watching Jessica from the beginning, she's fantastic

Deank

telekon wrote: »

Ridiculous isn't it?

Might as well give that guy the gold for drug doping while they're at it...fabulous cheating by the East Germans once again. :rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK0zGx9DmLg&feature=related

Ouch, god damn You Tube.....

telekon

Deank wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK0zGx9DmLg&feature=related

Ouch, god damn You Tube.....

Sure, tis only a flesh wound. :pac:

blueser

My name is URL wrote: »

Anyone see this yet? The ugly side of the Olympics - http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/draconian-wifi-police-stalk-olympic-games-20120803-23jdc.html

Apparently, since BT are the "official communications services provider" for the games. Only access points which they operate are allowed for the duration.

Hardly surprising if BT have shelled out megabcucks for the right to be the exclusive wifi provider. If I was them, and someone else was providing competition without the initial outlay that I had, I'd be mightily p****d off.

westendgirlie

Has there been any word on the Russian who collapsed near the end of the walking? Last I saw, he was away in an ambulance.

keith16

My name is URL wrote: »

Anyone see this yet? The ugly side of the Olympics - http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/draconian-wifi-police-stalk-olympic-games-20120803-23jdc.html

Apparently, since BT are the "official communications services provider" for the games. Only access points which they operate are allowed for the duration.

£6 for 90 mins :eek:

Brand police really is a shocking concept / reality.

keith16

blueser wrote: »

Hardly surprising if BT have shelled out megabcucks for the right to be the exclusive wifi provider. If I was them, and someone else was providing competition without the initial outlay that I had, I'd be mightily p****d off.

Surely you should be able to use your own device to set-up a hot spot.

johnmcdnl

blueser wrote: »

My name is URL wrote: »

Anyone see this yet? The ugly side of the Olympics - http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/draconian-wifi-police-stalk-olympic-games-20120803-23jdc.html

Apparently, since BT are the "official communications services provider" for the games. Only access points which they operate are allowed for the duration.

Hardly surprising if BT have shelled out megabcucks for the right to be the exclusive wifi provider. If I was them, and someone else was providing competition without the initial outlay that I had, I'd be mightily p****d off.

So using your own 3g package shouldn't be allowed to protect BT

Jorah

Tox56 wrote: »

But how do you do that? You can't just 'develop' the likes of Wiggins, Cavendish and Hoy, especially in a country the size of Ireland.

Re-join the union and reunite Ireland.


Thank you and good night!

robinph

My name is URL wrote: »

Anyone see this yet? The ugly side of the Olympics - http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/draconian-wifi-police-stalk-olympic-games-20120803-23jdc.html

Apparently, since BT are the "official communications services provider" for the games. Only access points which they operate are allowed for the duration.

Saw a bloke with one of them wandering around the ExCel the other day and couldn't work out what he was doing.

Jimoslimos

keith16 wrote: »

Nice piece of trivia...

Which country has won the most medals, but never hosted the Olympics?

Technically 'Russia' has never held an Olympic games

telekon

Tox56 wrote: »

But how do you do that? You can't just 'develop' the likes of Wiggins, Cavendish and Hoy, especially in a country the size of Ireland.

Not impossible. We had two of the best cyclists in the world in the 1980s in Roche and Kelly.

Pherekydes

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Technically 'Russia' has never held an Olympic games

I think Moscow is in Russia.

patmac

Have to say fair play to team GB, their athletes seem to be genuinely decent compared to premiership footballers, in fact I am surprised John Terry hasn't made his lap of honour yet.

johnmcdnl

Pherekydes wrote: »

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Technically 'Russia' has never held an Olympic games

I think Moscow is in Russia.

Think hes saying that was the ussr.. How many medals has russia technically won on its own though.. Does it beat hungary?

Jimoslimos

Pherekydes wrote: »

I think Moscow is in Russia.

Yeah yeah, I know host city not country but Moscow was part of the USSR in 1980

Pherekydes

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Yeah yeah, I know host city not country but Moscow was part of the USSR in 1980

Moscow has always been in Russia. Russia was in existence before the Soviet Union.

donfers

blueser wrote: »

I think Gary might have got a bit carried away with that comment. Understandable after the day/evening Great Britain has had.

their whole coverage has been a bit carried away

i don't blame them though, loads of medals and olympics in London for first time in over 60 years and great stadia and atmosphere

oh and by the way before someone jumps in and says we'd be exactly the same, i know that already - i just think it should be acknowledged that they do get very carried away, countless examples and not just in the olympic coverage, the news reports are terrible for it and it should really open your eyes to how news media frame stories relating to current affairs too

saying stuff like a drug cheat won the road race, saying when pendleton won her second gold that her rivals didn't get the lucky repreive of her being disqualified this time, just throwing in sneaky smug disrespectful little comments all the time - particularly in the road race where they seemed dismayed the peloton didn't just let cavendish win

booing the australians at the rowing, booing the uruguayan national anthemn, 2 of their boxers getting through when they were clobbered around the ring, one of their sailors acting like he's the terminator and claiming he was certain he didn't break the rules but then not being so certain he'd let the judges decide, one of their cyclists deliberatly falling over to force a restart and more stuff like this

they won 6 gold medals today and they should be rightly delighted with themselves but let's not pretend amid all the celebrations and parties and propoganda that some of what has gone on is not beyond criticism

i realise saying the above isn't going to very well-received or fashionable right now but we must be objective in our analysis particularly when the tempation is strongest to get caught up in the swirl of media hype and nationalistic fervour from our neighbours

well done team GB but the greatest of us recognise our failings even in truimph

oh and yes i am bitter and jealous that we have no medals yet and they have loads:(

robinph

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Technically 'Russia' has never held an Olympic games

This list gives a few potential answers depending on the question:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_Olympic_Games_medal_table

Hungary if you are just counting summer games, or East Germany or Hungary if counting summer and winter and then depending on how you count the Germany's.

Tox56

How dare their boxers benefit from a controversial decision, I mean who do they think they are

keith16

robinph wrote: »

This list gives a few potential answers depending on the question:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_Olympic_Games_medal_table

Hungary if you are just counting summer games, or East Germany or Hungary if counting summer and winter and then depending on how you count the Germany's.

East Germany is best Germany.

WumBuster

We are a small country. We only produce probably one or two world class athletes every ten years or so. Roche/kelly in the 80's, Sonia in the 90's, Katie taylor in the noughties to present.

Jimoslimos

Pherekydes wrote: »

Moscow has always been in Russia. Russia was in existence before the Soviet Union.

Yes but the athletes weren't competing for Russia. Are the medals from that era won by athletes from other former Soviet states recognised as Soviet, Russian or Kazak/Georgian/Estonian/etc?

Plus I think some of the events, sailing maybe? were held in what is now modern Estonia

markie29

haha Bill with the smug look at his face when he was saying 'GB they have no luck in penalty shootouts'

keith16

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Yes but the athletes weren't competing for Russia. Are the medals from that era won by athletes from other former Soviet states recognised as Soviet, Russian or Kazak/Georgian/Estonian/etc?

Plus I think some of the events, sailing maybe? were held in what is now modern Estonia

yeah, the sailing was held in Tallin. Or "little Moscow" as it was known then.

Jorah

donfers wrote: »

their whole coverage has been a bit carried away

i don't blame them though, loads of medals and olympics in London for first time in over 60 years and great stadia and atmosphere

oh and by the way before someone jumps in and says we'd be exactly the same, i know that already - i just think it should be acknowledged that they do get very carried away, countless examples and not just in the olympic coverage, the news reports are terrible for it and it should really open your eyes to how news media frame stories relating to current affairs too

saying stuff like a drug cheat won the road race, saying when pendleton won her second gold that her rivals didn't get the lucky repreive of her being disqualified this time, just throwing in sneaky smug disrespectful little comments all the time - particularly in the road race where they seemed dismayed the peloton didn't just let cavendish win

booing the australians at the rowing, booing the uruguayan national anthemn, 2 of their boxers getting through when they were clobbered around the ring, one of their sailors acting like he's the terminator and claiming he was certain he didn't break the rules but then not being so certain he'd let the judges decide, one of their cyclists deliberatly falling over to force a restart and more stuff like this

they won 6 gold medals today and they should be rightly delighted with themselves but let's not pretend amid all the celebrations and parties and propoganda that some of what has gone on is not beyond criticism

i realise saying the above isn't going to very well-received or fashionable right now but we must be objective in our analysis particularly when the tempation is strongest to get caught up in the swirl of media hype and nationalistic fervour from our neighbours

well done team GB but the greatest of us recognise our failings even in truimph

oh and yes i am bitter and jealous that we have no medals yet and they have loads:(

LOL cry baby.

mike65

The Aussies have decided that silver is the new gold

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/olympics/live-blog-london-2012/live-coverage-london-olympics-day-8-20120804-23mam.html

Silver Medal SILVER MEDAL TALLY
— AT END OF DAY 8

16 — China*
16 — Russia
13 — USA
12 — Australia
10 — Japan

keith16

Jorah wrote: »

LOL cry baby.

off to bed with you

fryup

you know the British are getting so euphoric & jingoistic that i'm half afraid that they might start invading other people's countries again

hope the irish navy are on standby:eek:

My name is URL

How come India have historically won so few medals at the Olympics? Ireland have actually won more than them =/

Considering the size of their population you'd imagine that they'd have won far more. Maybe they're just too laid back to take it as seriously as other places.

namloc1980

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Yeah yeah, I know host city not country but Moscow was part of the USSR in 1980

Moscow is, was and always has been in Russia. Russia was the largest Republic during the Soviet Union era.

johnmcdnl

My name is URL wrote: »

How come India have historically won so few medals at the Olympics? Ireland have actually won more than them =/

Considering the size of their population you'd imagine that they'd have won far more. Maybe they're just too laid back to take it as seriously as other places.

Cricket taking all the stars rabble rabble :P

el diablo

What a difference a year makes, eh. (Almost) this time last year London was on fire with the riots.

bwatson

donfers wrote: »

their whole coverage has been a bit carried away

i don't blame them though, loads of medals and olympics in London for first time in over 60 years and great stadia and atmosphere

oh and by the way before someone jumps in and says we'd be exactly the same, i know that already - i just think it should be acknowledged that they do get very carried away, countless examples and not just in the olympic coverage, the news reports are terrible for it and it should really open your eyes to how news media frame stories relating to current affairs too

saying stuff like a drug cheat won the road race, saying when pendleton won her second gold that her rivals didn't get the lucky repreive of her being disqualified this time, just throwing in sneaky smug disrespectful little comments all the time - particularly in the road race where they seemed dismayed the peloton didn't just let cavendish win

booing the australians at the rowing, booing the uruguayan national anthemn, 2 of their boxers getting through when they were clobbered around the ring, one of their sailors acting like he's the terminator and claiming he was certain he didn't break the rules but then not being so certain he'd let the judges decide, one of their cyclists deliberatly falling over to force a restart and more stuff like this

they won 6 gold medals today and they should be rightly delighted with themselves but let's not pretend amid all the celebrations and parties and propoganda that some of what has gone on is not beyond criticism

i realise saying the above isn't going to very well-received or fashionable right now but we must be objective in our analysis particularly when the tempation is strongest to get caught up in the swirl of media hype and nationalistic fervour from our neighbours

well done team GB but the greatest of us recognise our failings even in truimph

oh and yes i am bitter and jealous that we have no medals yet and they have loads:(

I'd have to pull you up on one thing there;

Ben Ainslie doesn't act like the Terminator, the Terminator acts like he's Ben Ainslie :P